Mansfield & District Light Railways
Encyclopedia
Mansfield & District Light Railways was an electric tramway network operating in Mansfield
from 16 July 1905 to 9 October 1932. The tramway company was a subsidiary of Midland Counties Electric Supply Co, who in turn were owned by Balfour Beatty
.
These routes began in Mansfield's Market Place and went to Berry Hill, Crown Farm, Mansfield Woodhouse
, Pleasley
and via Sutton-in-Ashfield
to Hucknall-under-Huthwaite
.
The depot was in Sutton Road, Mansfield at . The buildings and site are still in use as a motorbus depot.
and two bought and one borrowed in 1930 from the nearby Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company
, (another Midland Counties Electric Supply Co. subsidiary).
In 1932 two trams were sold to Sunderland Corporation, where they saw further service until 1953.
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
from 16 July 1905 to 9 October 1932. The tramway company was a subsidiary of Midland Counties Electric Supply Co, who in turn were owned by Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
.
Infrastructure
The tramway network consisted of 5 routes covering just over 12 miles and joining neighbouring towns.These routes began in Mansfield's Market Place and went to Berry Hill, Crown Farm, Mansfield Woodhouse
Mansfield Woodhouse
Mansfield Woodhouse is a large village about 2 kilometres north of Mansfield itself, in Nottinghamshire, England. With a history dating back before the Romans, it is still noteworthy for its stone built town centre...
, Pleasley
Pleasley
Pleasley is a small village in between the nearby towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield, it is 8 km south east of Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and 4 km north west of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire...
and via Sutton-in-Ashfield
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of around 43,000. It is situated four miles west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border.-Geography:...
to Hucknall-under-Huthwaite
Huthwaite
Huthwaite is a small village in Nottinghamshire, England, located to the west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border. Before 1907 the village was known as Hucknall-under-Huthwaite and also Dirty Hucknall.-Derivation of Name:...
.
The depot was in Sutton Road, Mansfield at . The buildings and site are still in use as a motorbus depot.
Tramcars
The fleet comprised a total of 31 cars plus a water car. Livery was red and cream (light green and cream in later years). Two cars were purchased in 1912 from the Cavehill & Whitewall tramway of Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and two bought and one borrowed in 1930 from the nearby Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company
The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company was formed in 1903 to build a tramway linking Nottingham, Derby, and Ilkeston, in Derbyshire, England...
, (another Midland Counties Electric Supply Co. subsidiary).
Closure
The tramway was largely rural in nature and it was replaced by motor buses, despite trolleybus authority having been obtained in 1929.In 1932 two trams were sold to Sunderland Corporation, where they saw further service until 1953.